Why are some organizations so slow to adopt elearning? (Part 2 of 3)

In part 1 of this three part series we asked, "why are some organizations so slow to adopt elearning?" 

In part 2 we will look at why some ARE making the move online...

In a business world controlled stiffly by a “bottom line” mentality, the irony of moving to elearning formats is that it is not only cheaper to build and run than traditional training, but in many respects more effective than the live experience (see USDLA 2009 Study). While many are not yet moving their learning initiatives online yet, there are a few big guns who are. Perhaps it would behoove us to quickly scan a few examples of these before we move on.

• In an effort to enable a company wide audit, powerhouse Cisco adopted an aggressive elearning initiative. In just one five week period, they managed to reduce training costs from $1.4 million to only $16,000, and training time by almost 60%. And in case you where questioning quality, they also delivered excellent results helping them receive the #2 ranking among 500 companies.

• Launched as part of a blended-learning solution at more than 5,000 GM dealerships in North America, GM partnered with Dallas-based Raytheon Professional Services LLC (RPS) to build virtual-classroom training that replaced a satellite based distance-learning system that has helped train dealer employees for over a decade. John Palmer, manager of GM Learning, reports that the solution is winning over employees and management alike with its broad functionality, ease of operation, and cost-saving features. Some 200,000 employees in North America alone will rely on the system, as well as thousands more in other countries. “I actually believe it’s a better delivery method than having an instructor in the room,” says Palmer. He calls virtual-classroom training an invaluable tool for reaching the widely dispersed population of GM dealer employees. Our legacy satellite-learning system was state of the art in its time, but virtual-classroom training is a far superior technology,” Palmer told the group. Yet, as valuable as virtual classrooms and other training tools have become in today’s learning landscape, their benefits are only realized when they are properly supported by sound management. GM points out that the entire training program is supported by the people, processes, and governance necessary to ensure quality and success.

• Morgan Stanley is in the process of testing a pilot program that would allow its financial advisers to interact with clients and others on social media websites Twitter and LinkedIn through pre-approved public updates and private LinkedIn emails, invitations and introductions. In an internal memo released (May 25, 2011), Morgan Stanley Smith Barney (MSSB) told its 18,000 brokers that they would soon be able to post pre-approved “static” updates on LinkedIn and Twitter. Starting (in June, 2011), Morgan Stanley will begin allowing a small test group of approximately 600 advisers to send pre-approved tweets and status updates on the popular social media sites, according to the firm’s internal memo, which was reviewed by Registered Rep.

• Jack Welch Management Institute. Even the prototypical businessman’s businessman Jack Welch, with the encouragement and vision of his business partner, Suzy Welch, has created an accredited online MBA program. No board room lessons here.

From these examples (any hundreds more like them), it is apparent that formal learning in all its rigid forms is giving way to a litany of informal learning opportunities. This steady move from the classroom to the web is not only due to individual preference but also due to several other influencing factors; A skittish world market (even after a huge U.S. bailout), ongoing world disasters and disease, decreasing training budgets, growing global workforce, a new generations preference anything online, altruistic initiatives to save the planet, increased wireless coverage world-wide, and dramatic advances in technological devices like smart phones and tablets. 

Next...current market trends that clearly indicate that elearning is moving on up.